Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to evaluate factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) of parents
of children who underwent placement of a tracheostomy while in the pediatric intensive
care unit (PICU) through postdischarge use of a standardized questionnaire, Functional
Status Scale (FSS) for patients, and WHOQoL-BREF (a QOL scale) for parents.
Methods The parents were initially contacted by telephone, postdischarge, during which the
standardized questionnaire was completed. The functional status of the patients was
evaluated using the FSS, and the QOL of parents was determined through use of the
WHOQoL-BREF scale.
Results From 2011 to 2021, tracheostomy was performed in 119 PICU patients. Overall, 93 patients
were excluded due to death in 66 (56%), decannulation in 24 (20%) and, 3 (2%) were
not available for follow-up. The parents of 26 (22%) patients were available for follow-up
and for which the standardized questionnaire FSS and WHOQoL-BREF QOL scales were completed.
The mean FSS score of the patients was elevated at 17.84. In comparison, reduced mean
scores were observed for parental physical health of 20.61, psychological health of
20.57, social health of 11.15, and environmental health of 29.00. As a result, a moderate
(r < 0.80), yet significant (p ≤ 0.004) negative correlation was found between the FSS scores of patients and the
physical, social relationships, environmental, and psychological health QOL scores
of parents.
Conclusion This study is unique in that, to our knowledge, it is the first to compare parental
QOL with the FSS of pediatric patients who have undergone a tracheostomy while hospitalized
in the PICU. Our findings indicate that the parental QOL was reduced in four areas
and correlates with an elevation in FSS score (indicating a greater functional disorder)
of pediatric patients who had previously undergone a tracheostomy while hospitalized
in the PICU.
Keywords
pediatric tracheostomy - quality of life - Functional Status Scale
